Is your new year’s resolution a lush, attractive landscape? Are you craving a welcoming yard that you never want to leave this spring and summer? Looks are a huge part of what we’re going for when we think about our outdoor spaces. But let’s look below the surface. Healthy soil, grass, and plants are at the heart of a gorgeous landscape. Focusing on a healthy landscape pays with curb appeal and is better for the environment and your family’s well-being. How Can I Promote A Healthy Landscape? A … [Read more...]
Bring Light Into The Dark of Winter
We’re all spending more time outside these days. So making our landscapes comfortable and user-friendly in winter is a priority. Exterior lighting plays an exciting role in making your landscape accessible and enjoyable on those dark winter nights. Outdoor lights brighten and enhance the short days of winter--but you’ll love them all year long. How Can Exterior Lights Enhance My Landscape? With excellent installation, outdoor lighting adds plenty of charm and curb appeal to your home and … [Read more...]
Should I Consider A Hardscape Project in Winter?
Fall is here, and lawnmowers are falling silent all over Northern Virginia. Late fall and winter are usually quiet times for lawn and garden care. It’s also one of the best times to plan and execute hardscaping projects. Your family is using your yard less frequently, so the work won’t be disruptive. Landscapers may not be as busy, so it can often be done more quickly. And you’ll be sitting pretty by the time spring rolls around. What Is Hardscaping? Hardscaping covers the non-plant related … [Read more...]
What Does Winterizing Your Lawn Mean?
Ahhhh the autumn air. Leaves are falling, and mowers are making their final runs. Everything is quieting down. But below the surface, your lawn is taking advantage of the warm days and cool nights to regenerate and get ready for winter. You can help by winterizing your lawn and garden. But what exactly does winterizing mean, and what are the benefits? In a nutshell, winterizing your lawn means using the fall cooling period to prep your property, equipment, and plants for winter. What Can I Do … [Read more...]
How Do I Plant a Tree?
There’s nothing more rewarding than planting a tree. When we choose and plant a new tree, we know we’re doing something wonderful for our world. We’re making our environment a little more beautiful. By planting a young tree, we’re planning for the future. We look forward to watching them grow over the years. But trees are a significant investment. If you plant them wrong or don’t follow up appropriately, young trees may die. So it’s essential to do it right. How Can I Choose the Right … [Read more...]
How Can I Keep Weeds From Growing in Mulch?
Applying mulch every spring makes sense on several levels. It helps enrich the soil and helps retain moisture during the dry summer months. But the main reason most of us mulch is weed control. We faithfully lay down a couple of inches of mulch and cross our fingers that we’ve won the battle. But most of us aren’t so lucky: weeds almost always find a way to pop up, even in the most beautifully mulched landscaping. Why are weeds so hard to tame, and what can you do to stop them? Here are a few … [Read more...]
How Can I Make My Patio Look New Again?
Can you feel it? March means subtle hints of spring in the air as the days slowly get longer. We just can’t wait, and we know many of you feel the same. What are your favorite things about spring and summer? For us, warm weather and outdoor entertaining top the list. The very best feeling is when you have an outdoor space that makes you want to spend every possible moment outside. But let’s face it: this winter has been a damp, dreary, muddy mess. Maybe it’s taken a toll on your patio or the … [Read more...]
What Should I Know About Clearing Brush?
When you’ve got a small suburban lot with tame turf, upkeep is usually pretty straightforward. But if you’ve got a larger rural lot with some wild spaces, tough to manage brush can be a problem. It can be a huge task to clear brush on your own, whether things are badly overgrown or just in need of some maintenance. It often makes sense to call in a professional with the equipment and expertise to do the job right. And winter is an ideal time to clear brush before new growth starts. What Is … [Read more...]
Will Christmas Lights Hurt My Outdoor Trees?
Twinkly Christmas lights are hands down our favorite part of the holiday season. From classic white to crazy and colorful, they make exteriors look festive and welcoming. Whether your approach is more Clark Griswold or Martha Stewart, they truly add something special to every home. But clients often ask us whether outdoor lights can damage live trees and shrubs. Here are some thoughts on getting the most out of holiday lights while protecting your landscape. Are Christmas Tree Lights Dangerous … [Read more...]
How Can I Protect My Landscaping This Winter?
We thought this summer would never end here in Northern Virginia, but fall seems to have come to stay, and winter is just around the corner. The distinct and lovely seasons, each with its own special magic and beauty, are one of our favorite things about our region. While summer tends to be super busy for landscapers, there is so much we can do in late fall and early winter to make landscapes healthy and hardy. Winter is a season of quiet beauty, a time for our landscapes to rest and recover. … [Read more...]
